Tour chest



E. M. STAPLETON June 5,' 1928.

TOUR CHEST Filed July 9, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet l BYZ Q 'ATTORNEY June 5, 1928. 1,672,350

E. M. STAPLETON TOUR CHEST Filed July 9, 192e 4 sheets-sheet 3 i ZI MQW

Patented .lune 5, 1928.

narran I srA'rss PATENT OFFICE.

EARL M. STAPLETON,13'CEA.SED, LATE OKLAHOIVIA CITY, OKLAHOMA, BY MODENA E. CHAPMAN, ADMINISTRATRX, lOF OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOB TO FLOY S. MARTIN, OF OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA.

TOUR CHEST.

Application led July 9,

rlhis invention relates to tour chests and is an improvement on the chest shown, described, and claimed in my United States Patent No. 1,524,846, dated' February, 3, 1925.

Une of theprincipal aims of the invention `forming the subject matter of this application is to provide a tour chest in which the refrigerator, the water cooler, and the various other supply holders may be quickly detached to permit a trunk, a number of Valises, blankets, or the like, to be placed within and protected by the chest. Also by making the refrigerator and the other supply holders detachable, the cost of the chest is greatly decreased and manufacture is very much simplified.

A further and equally important object is to provide a novel form of insulator 'for the refrigerator by means of which the contents of the refrigerator are kept in a properly cooled state. Y

A further object is to provide a tour chest which may be conveniently mounted on an automobile, either at tlie'rear or onev or both sides thereof without detracting from the appearance of the vehicle and in fact the installation of a tour chest constructed in accordance with this invention adds to the appearance of a vehicle and harmonizes nicely with accepted designs.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

ln theaccompanying drawings'forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure lis a perspective illustrating the invention applied to the rear portionv of a motor vehicle;

Fig. 2; is a perspective of the improved chest in open position, the refrigerator being partly Withdrawn to illustrate that it may be quickly detached to permit a trunk, a number of valises, or the like, to be placed within the chest;

Fig.. 3 is a fragmentary perspective illus-A trating one end of the tour chest and the msulationfor the icebox;

1926. Serial N0. 121,462.

Fig. is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through the improved tour chest closed;

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view illustrating aholding flange forming a part ofthe means toy hold the refrigerator against movement while Within the tour chest;

Fig- 6 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating one end of the tour chest open, the refrigerator being completely detached and thewater cooler being partly withdrawn to illustrate that it may, if desired be comf pletely withdrawn ment ot the. invention, the numeral 5 designates what might be said' to be a housing or shell off the improvedn tour chest. The housing or shell is of rectangular formation and is open at vboth of itsends to provide access to the contents of a refrigerator or a' number of `supply compartments as Will .be fully described.

Attention is first directed to Figs. l and 2 which illustrate that the ends of the shell or body are provided with doors 6 and 7 horizontally hinged to the lower portion of thel body and consisting of a number of hingedly connected sections, this u featurer being fully described and illustrated in the aforesaid patent and for this reason it will not be described indetail here. However, it might be stated that the sectional end' members when closed asv shown i'nfFig.- 1 form doors to close the body, and when positioned horirZontally. asA shown in Fig. 2 form legless tables for use in cooking, eating, or for any other purpose 'for which the same may be found to be desirable during' touring. As the tables Ytorm'edby theendmembers 6 and T are legless, it isnot necessary tostop the motor vehicle onI levelground.. Fig. 2 illustrates that when the end members 6 and 7 are positioned horizontally for use as tables they are supported by linksy 9. When the doors or end members 6 and 7 are closed the links may be held in their inoperative positions by means of clips 10 as shown in Fig. 3.

Before proceeding with the description of the improved features it is pointed out that the various sections of the tables 6 and 7 :ire strengthened and reinforced by longitudinally extending tubular members 11 welded or otherwise secured to the ianges which border the several sections of the tables. The presence of the reinforcing bars ivercomes any tendency of the sections of the tables to twist. Fig. 3 clearly illustrates that when the sections of the tables are folded into opposed relation they form shallow compartments to enclose various implements or devices 12 employed for cooking,

touring camping, etc., and suitable clips 14 are employed to hold these devices in place.

In carrying out the invention, suitable clips 16 are employed to hold the sections together and in this respect cooperate with locking devices 18 ofany character. The locking devices 18 not only hold the sections together, but also hold the end members formed bythe sections in closed position, this feature of the invention being fully illustrated in Fig. 1.

One of the principal features of the invention resides in the detachable refrigerator 2O and in the means to insulate and hold the same in place.

It will be seen that 'the refrigerator is manufactured separately from the rectangular body and is provided at one end with a fiange 21 which bears against an internal ange 22 secured Within one end of the body as shown in 5. This figure clearly brings out that the attaching portion of the flange 22 is secured fiatly in engagement with the inner side wall of one end of the bodyr by means of fastening devices 24 and might be said to form an effective reinforcement for one end of the body. The refrigerator end of the body is formed with a return bend to define a channel 26 which receives the outer edge portion of the base or attaching portion of the continuous flange 22. When the refrigerator is introduced into the body the laterally projecting fiange 21 of the same will flatly abut the iange 22 to limit the movement of the refrigerator into the body. Now, insulating boards 27, 28, 29 and 30 are arranged about the sides. top, the bottom and the inner end of the refrigerator to maintain a cool temperature Within the refrigerator. These insulating boards are preferably of Balsa Wood and snugly t about the refrigerator so as to hold the same against rattling. It is important to note Fig. 4 which illustrates that the end board 30 is bolted to the inner end Wall of the refrigerator as indicated at 33 and the edge portions of the end board 30 extend over and engage the ends of the sides, top, and bottom boards 27, 28 and 29, respectively, and thereby cooperate with the flanges 21 and 22 in holding the refrigerator against movement in either direction. Figs. 4 and 5 also illustrate that the insulating boards 27, 28 and 29 are confined between the end board 30 and n bolts 33 whereupon the end wall 80 is detached and the refrigerator is withdrawn as shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen thatfwhen the insulating end wall .30 is removed from locking engagei'iient with the icebox and the walls 27 28 and 29the iceboX is freey to be vwithdrawn. After this the insulating walls 27,28 and 29 may be easily removed from the body of the box as they are held in place merely by pressure. That is to'say,

they are closely fitted within the body of the t' tour chest and are held in place in contact with the walls of the tour chest bythe refrigerator.

Of course, preparatory to removing the refrigerator the article container 36 is removed. This may be held in place merely by the closeness of its fit with the side `and bottom walls of the ,body of the container and as shown in Fig. 2 the article container or support flatly abuts the insulating end wall 30.

The water cooler consists of upper and lower reservoirs 40 and 41 having communication through the medium of a flexible hose 42, there being a valve 43 at the bottom of the upper reservoir 40 so that the upper reservoir may be separated from the lower reservoir and used independently.

Fig. 6 illustrates that the upper 'reservoir provided with a filling cap 44 andv when it is desired to gain access to the filling cap 1t is merely necessary to partly withdraw the upper reservoir as shown in Fig. 6. This figure shows that the upper reservoir 40 which is snugly fitted yin the upper porl tion of the refrigerator is slidably supported by vmeans of flanges or ribs 45.

The lower reservoir 41 is snugly fitted in. the bottom of the refrigerator and has threaded engagement with a spring-closed spigot 46 which extends through the side of the refrigerator and through the side wall of the body of the tour chest. The spigot 46 is covered and protected by a nested metallic cup 47 having a cap 48 confined between the Uit Yie

y'Levanto 'fbody of the tour chest and an-annular shoul- .members 50 whichgrip the nested cup and holdithesame firmlyin place. However, it is a simple matter to manually gripthe cup andaemove the sam'efor use. The spigot is at all times kept clean and free of ydust and the likeby the nested cup 47 vand the nested cupvforms-a 'convenient receptacle for use in drinking the water in the reservoir or for drinking coffee or other liquids found Vdesirable or necessary.v .f y

ln carrying out the invention, the tour chest may be mounted on a suitable support located at the rear of the vehicle and supported by suitable brackets or othermeans.

Or the improved tour chest may be divided into separate containers v and 61 as shown in F ig. 9 and these separate containers may be mounted on the running board of the vehicle in such a manner asto permit of the free opening and closing of the doors. One of these containers may receive the icebo-X, while the other container may receive the various articles of food, or the like, employed on a trip. Y

With reference to the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen thatthe' cost of manufacturingbthe improved tour chest is substantially lower than the tour chest illustrated in my previously mentioned patent and has a substantially greater utility since the refrigerator and the various other article containers may be removed from the body of the tour chest for the purpose of carrying and protecting a trunk or trunks, valises, hammocks, blankets, or the like.

In the manufacture of the improved tour chest it is merely necessary to make the more or less rectangular housing 5 as illustrated and then attach the end members thereto. As the refrigerator and the article holder 3G are separately made they may be subsequently introduced into the chest thereby avoiding the necessity of incorporating these in the chest during manufacture.

When the improved tour chest is made in two sections as illustrated in Fig. 9 they may be used either singly or together. In case it is merely desired to take a short trip, only the refrigerator 60 is employed and a suitable quantity of ice and liquid refreshment of any preferred kind may be carried and kept in a properly chilled state. Or, if desired, other articles such as sandwiches or other picnic necessities may be carried in the refrigerator. It might be said that the refrigerator 60 provides a convenient picnic chest having ample carrying space for the supplies necessary for a picnic or short touring trip.

rThe chest 461 forms a sort of kitchenette in which a suitable stove, cooking utensils,

dishes, and various foods "and the likej may be carried, and when thehingedend ofthe kitchenette is swung to a horizontal. position for use-as 'a table as shown in Fig/9 the various-articles Within'the chest are exposed 'for removal or'use.:

' Having thus 'described ythe invention, what is claimed is:

'1. A 'tour chest comprising a body -having a door, a refrigerator detachably positioned in the body, insulating yboards :positioned aboutthe sides, top, and the bottom of the refrigerator and being detachable, and an end board detachably connected to theinner end Wall of the refrigerator and engaged with the ends of said first'named insulating boardsy to holdthe same'against movement in one direction.

2. A tour chest comprising a body having a door, a refrigerator detachably positioned in the body, insulating boards positioned about the sides, top, and the bottom ofthe refrigerator and being detachable, and an end board detachably connected to the inner end wall of the refrigerator and engaged with the ends of said first-named insulating lill boardsto hold the same against movement p in one direction, one end of said refrigerator being provided with a laterally projecting flange, and a flange carried by said body and engaged on one side by the flanges of the refrigerator and on the other side by the boards about the sides, top, andbottomof the refrigerator whereby the refrigerator is held against endwise movement.

3. A tour chest comprising an open ended body having an internal flange, a refrighaving a flange engaged with said firstnamed flange, andinsulating boards detachably positioned between said refrigerator and the walls of said body, said insulating boards beingengaged with the flange of said body and held against movement in one direction thereby, and an end board of insulating material detachably connected to the erator detachably received in said body and inner end of said refrigerator and lapping over the inner ends of said first-named boards whereby to hold the boards against endwise movement in the other direction and to lock the refrigerator in place.

4. A tour chest comprising an open ended body having an internal flange, a refrigerator detachably received in said body and having a flange engaged with said firstnamed flange, insulating boards detachably positioned between said refrigerator and the walls of said body, said insulating boards being engaged with the flange of said body and held against movement in one direction thereby, and an end board of insulating material detachably connected to the innerend of said refrigerator and lapping over the inner ends of said first-named boards whereby to hold the boards against endwise moverid body having an internal ange, a refrigerator detaehably received Vin said body and having a flange engaged with said firstnamed flange, insulating boardsdetaehably positioned between said refrigerator and i the Walls of said body, said insulating' boards being engaged with the flange of said body and held against movement in one direction thereby, aniendlboard of insulating material detachably connected to the inner end of said i refrigerator and lapping over thel inner ends of.said'first-nan'ied boards whereby to hold the boards against eiidwise movement 1n the other direction and to look 'the refrig` erator in place, and doors forthe ends of the body, saidend board of insulating ma* terial forming an inner end Wall for a, coinpartfn'ien't at one end of the body.`

6. A tour chest comprising a body of reetangular formation having the opposite ends thereof open, a refrigerator detachably positioned inone endof the body, an article holder positioned in the other end of the body, said refrigerator and said article holderl being freelyremovable whereby a trunk or the like maybe carried in the body, and

doors hinged to the ends 'close the body.

MODENA E. CHAPMAN,

of saidvbody' to ceased. 

